Bible Commentaries

Leviticus 7:1-2. Here the priests are directed in their office about the trespass- offerings, as the people had been before. The blood shall he sprinkle round about — This is a different rule from that observed in the sin-offering, the blood of which was to be put upon the horns of the altar, Leviticus 4:25; but this was to be sprinkled round about it, as was ordered respecting the whole burnt-offerings.

Leviticus 7:7-8. As is the sin-offering, so is the trespass-offering — In the matter following, for in other things they differed. The priests shall have it — That part of it which was by God allowed to the priest. The priest shall have to himself the skin — The note of Bishop Patrick is worth transcribing here: “All the flesh of the burnt-offerings being wholly consumed, as well as the fat upon the altar, there was nothing that could fall to the share of the priest but the skin, which is here given him for his pains. It was observed upon Genesis 3:21, that it is probable Adam himself offered the first sacrifice, and had the skin given him by God, to make the garments for him and his wife. In conformity to which the priests ever after had the skin of the whole burnt-offerings for their portion; which was a custom among the Gentiles, (as well as the Jews,) who gave the skins of their sacrifices to their priests, when they were not burned with the sacrifices, as in some sin-offerings they were among the Jews, see Leviticus 4:11; and they employed them to a superstitious use, by lying upon them in their temples, in hopes to have future things revealed to them in their dreams. Of this we have a proof in Virgil’s seventh Æneid, line 86. See Dryden’s translation, 7:127.”

Leviticus 7:9. All the meat or meal-offering shall be the priest’s — Except the part reserved by God, (Leviticus 2:2; Leviticus 2:9,) these being ready dressed, and hot, and to be eaten presently. And the priest who offered it was, in reason, to expect something more than his brethren who laboured not about it, and that he had only in this offering; for the others were equally distributed. For (Leviticus 7:10) every meat or meal-offering, which was of raw flour, whether mingled with oil or dry, that is, without oil, or drink-offering, all the sons of Aaron were to share equally among them. And there was manifest reason for this difference, because these were offered in greater quantities than the former; and, being raw, might more easily be reserved for the several priests, to dress them in the way which each of them might prefer.

Leviticus 7:11. This is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings — These are the only sort of offerings to be spoken of. There were several sorts of them, which required various rites. The first was a gratulatory offering, or a sacrifice of thanksgiving, so called because it was offered to God for some particular benefit received, Leviticus 7:12. Such sacrifices were accompanied with feasting, and sometimes with high demonstrations of joy, 1 Samuel 11:15; 1 Kings 8:6. Of these the psalmist speaks, when he says, Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing, Psalm 107:22. The second was a votive-offering, or vow, being also a sacrifice of thanksgiving, but offered in consequence of a vow, or religious oath, whereby the party obliged himself to offer to God such a sacrifice, in case of receiving some particular benefit. The third was a voluntary offering, being a sacrifice freely made beforehand, in the nature of a prayer for obtaining some future blessing, Leviticus 7:16; or, as Le Clerc explains it, a voluntary offering was a sacrifice offered, not for any particular benefit either received or expected, but merely from the overflowing of a heart grateful to God for his goodness in general. We find this oblation plainly distinguished from a votive-offering, Leviticus 22:23.

Leviticus 7:12. If he offer it for a thanksgiving — Hebrew, על תודה, gnal todah, for confession, it being accompanied with a public confession or acknowledgment of the mercies and deliverances which the offerer had received from God. And to this the apostle alludes, (Hebrews 13:15,) exhorting Christians to offer to God continually, through Christ, the sacrifice of praise; that is, says he, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks, ομολογουντων, confessing to his name.

Leviticus 7:13. Leavened bread — Because this was a sacrifice of another kind than those in which leaven was forbidden, this being a sacrifice of thanksgiving for God’s blessings, among which leavened bread was one.

Leaven indeed was universally forbidden, Leviticus 2:11; but that prohibition concerned only things offered and burned upon the altar, which this bread was not.

Leviticus 7:15. The flesh shall be eaten the same day — This was partly that none of it might be exposed to corruption, (for by the third day it might easily, in those hot countries, putrefy,) and partly that the offerer might not be sordidly saving of this sacred banquet, but be taught to show his piety to God by his love to his fellow-creatures, forthwith inviting his friends to partake of it with him; and in case he and they could not eat it up, by distributing the remains among the poor. This law might also be intended to prevent their spending many days in feasting under the pretence of religion. It may be observed further here, that the longest time allowed for eating the flesh of any of the sacrifices enjoined by Moses, was the day after that on which they were killed; the eating of it on the third day is declared to be an abomination.

Leviticus 7:16. If the sacrifice be a vow — Offered in performance of a vow, the offerer having desired some special favour from God, and vowed the sacrifice to God if he would grant it. A voluntary offering, which a person offered freely to God, in testimony of his faith and love, not being under the obligation of any particular vow of his own, or command from God. On the morrow also the remainder shall be eaten — Which was not allowed in the case of the thank-offering. The reason of which is to be fetched only from God’s good pleasure and will, to which he expects our obedience, though we discern not the reason of his appointments.